Georgia suspends transit of Russian gas to Armenia

On Monday Georgia suspended the transit of Russian gas to Armenia because of a gas leak found in one of the sections of the North-South trunk gas pipeline

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TBILISI, February 20 (Itar-Tass) — On Monday Georgia suspended the transit of Russian gas to Armenia because of a gas leak found in one of the sections of the North-South trunk gas pipeline, Director General of the Oil and Gas of Georgia Corporation Zurab Dzhandzhgava told journalists on Monday. Both Dzhandzhgava and Georgian Energy and Natural Resources Minister Aleko Khetaguri arrived to the Gardabansky district to inspect the damaged section of the pipeline.

The Georgian gas transportation company has been making repairs in the damaged section of the pipeline, Dzhandzhgava said. The work is going on round the clock, he said, adding that the following day the transit of Russian gas to Armenia would resume.

In recent days at Armenia’s request the trunk pipeline had been working to its full capacity; one of the sections of the gas pipeline gave way under high pressure, which resulted in gas leak, Khetaguri said. The accident has not affected gas supply in Georgia, which continues in the usual regime, Khetaguri said.

A total of 90 percent of gas supplied to Georgia comes from Azerbaijan. The Russian gas accounts for ten percent of the overall gas imported by Georgia and it used to compensate for the transit of Russian gas to Armenia in accordance with an agreement signed earlier.

The transit of Russia's gas temporarily halted by Georgia created no problems in Armenia, because Armenia has a gas depot capable to ensure gas supply to the country for two months.